Category Archives: Live

LIVE 184 • Naupaka Slack Key

Live, Slack Keyacoustic guitar, beach naupaka, big island, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, half flowers, Hawaii, hawaiian guitar, kailua kona, Kamakahonu beach, ki ho’alu, King Kamehameha Hotel, Kohala beaches, Kona beaches, Kona pier, KTA grocery, lilikoi man, nahenahe, naupaka berries, naupaka plant, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, ohana and friends, open tunings, passionfruit, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Slack Key, Taylor 912ce

Here is a full length version of Naupaka Slack Key, a song that pays tribute to ‘beach’ naupaka, a cheerful bush that can be found near many beaches in Hawai’i. While the story of separated lovers embodied in the ‘half flowers’ of beach and ‘mountain’ naupaka is poignant, I often think of the little white berries bobbing around in the water at such places as Kamakahonu beach near the King Kamehameha Hotel in Kailua-Kona where I used to swim as a keiki. Not long ago, an old friend reminded me of the ‘lilikoi man’ who used to walk by the beach there selling passionfruit from a KTA shopping bag for a quarter. As kids, we would build sand castles, explore the nearby pier, and take small fishing nets to catch little minnow-sized fish for our beach bucket filled with seawater (which we would return to the ocean not long after). Anyway, the naupaka plant was often nearby during those childhood hours (small kid time, as they say) spent at various Kona and Kohala beaches – mellow and relaxing days with ohana and friends. Hope you enjoy.

LIVE 191 • Keiki Slack Key on Ukulele (Ray Kane Cover)

Live, Slack Key, Ukuleleblue sky guitar, blue sky ukulele, fingerstyle ukulele, Hawaii, hawaiian ukulele, Kamaka HF-3, Kamaka Tenor Ukulele, keiki slack key, ki ho’alu, Line Audio CM4, nahenahe, nick borho, open G, peaceful ukulele, Ray Kane, relaxing music, relaxing ukulele, Slack Key, slack key ukulele, Taro Patch, tranquil song, ukulele open tunings

Here is a version of the Ray Kane slack key guitar classic “Keiki Slack Key,” played on slack key ukulele. Keiki Slack Key is one of the first slack key songs I learned, and I still enjoy playing it. To me, Ray Kane is probably the best example of an ‘old style’ slack key player, and his tracks are always nahenahe. Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Kamaka Koa Tenor ukulele (Kamaka HF-3, low G with stock Kamaka brand black nylon strings and a Thomastik-Infeld CF-30 flat wound fourth string) and a Line Audio CM4 small diaphragm condenser microphone.

LIVE 187 • Bron~Yr~Aur (Led Zep Cover, 812ce)

Classic Rock, Live50th Anniversary 812ce, acoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open C6, open tunings, peaceful guitar, Physical Graffiti, relaxing guitar, Sinker Redwood tone, Taylor 812ce LTD, Welsh Countryside

Bron-Yr-Aur is probably my favorite Led Zeppelin acoustic song. Written by Jimmy Page about a tranquil cottage in the Welsh countryside, the song is meditative and bucolic; it always puts me in a different place whenever I hear it or play it. Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 50th Anniversary Builder’s Edition 812ce LTD (Rosewood/Sinker Redwood), with Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze HD Light gauge set) and a Neumann TLM 102 microphone.

LIVE 186 • Iris (912ce, alt take)

Fingerstyle, Liveacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, guitar harmonics, guitar instrumental, Iris, lush harmonics, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Taylor 912ce, taylor grand concert

Here’s an alternate take of my song Iris recorded on the 912ce. Iris has a lot of harmonics, which creates a light, chimey atmosphere. The 912 has a lot of resonance, echo and bloom (even moreso than the 412ce I had previously recorded this with) which I thought would pair well with the cascade of harmonics in this song. Hope you enjoy.

Note: this is my original fingerstyle song titled Iris; no relation to the Goo Goo Dolls song by the same name though that is cool too. 🙂

LIVE 189 • Greensleeves

Fingerstyle, Liveacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, Christmas Guitar instrumental, fingerstyle guitar, Greensleeves, guitar instrumental, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Taylor 912ce, taylor grand concert, What Child Is This

Here is an arrangement of Greensleeves I did back when I was teaching guitar full time. The arrangement was meant for intermediate to advanced students, and is both a little challenging and fun to play. Greensleeves (a/k/a What Child is This?) is often thought of as a Christmas classic, but the song actually originated as a love ballad in late 1500’s England. The tune quickly became a staple of popular culture, even to the point of Shakespeare seeming to have a bit of fun with the song’s widespread prevalence in The Merry Wives of Windsor. And the tune remains well known, even to this day. Hope you enjoy.

“Let the sky rain potatoes, let it thunder to the tune of ‘Greensleeves’…”
— William Shakespeare, via Falstaff, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Act V, Scene 5)

LIVE 182 • Welsh Dragonfly (812ce)

Live50th Anniversary 812ce, acoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, dragonfly, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Sinker Redwood tone, Taylor 812ce LTD, welsh dragonfly, Whales

Here is another version of my song Welsh Dragonfly, which was written after listening to some of the ‘acoustic’ music born out of Led Zeppelin’s retreat to the Welsh countryside. That music had an atmosphere at once both ethereal and bucolic, a vibe I try to tap into myself from time to time. This version of Welsh Dragonfly was recorded on a guitar with rosewood back & sides and a redwood top – the rosewood’s scooped midrange provides a nice separation between the bass and treble parts, fitting well with this arrangement. The redwood top mellows out the song a little – evening out the volume dynamics (adding sustain at times), and producing a warm sound. This song makes me feel relaxed and peaceful when I play it. Hope you enjoy.

LIVE 183 • Spooner Slack Key (First Take)

Live, Slack Keyacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, Hawaii, hawaiian guitar, Hawaiian koa, kailua kona, ki ho’alu, koa taylor, Neumann TLM 103, nick borho, open tunings open G, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Slack Key, Taro Patch, taylor grand concert, Taylor k22ce

Spooner Slack Key was born out of an idea improvised between recording takes of another song. I decided to record an improvised version of the song as a demo to remember the idea – resulting in this ‘first & only’ take (so far) – then resumed working on the other song I was recording at the time. When listening back to the original recording recently, I like the energy and decided to post it. Hope you enjoy.

LIVE 178 • Here Comes the Sun (912ce)

Classic Rock, LiveAbbey Road, acoustic guitar, beatles fingerstyle, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, George Harrison, Here Comes the Sun, Neumann TLM 103, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, rosewood taylor guitar, Taylor 912ce, taylor grand concert

Here’s a snappy take of my arrangement of the Harrison classic Here Comes the Sun. It’s a bright, happy tune that sounds great on acoustic guitar. Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 912ce (Rosewood/Spruce, with Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze HD Light strings) and a Neumann TLM 103 microphone.

LIVE 180 • Welsh Dragonfly (912ce)

Live, Open Tuningsacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, dragonfly, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, Line Audio CM4, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, rosewood taylor guitar, Taylor 912ce

Here is another version of my song Welsh Dragonfly, which was written after listening to some of the ‘acoustic’ music born out of Led Zeppelin’s retreat to the Welsh countryside. That music had an atmosphere at once both ethereal and bucolic, a vibe I try to tap into myself from time to time. This version of Welsh Dragonfly was recorded on a rosewood and spruce guitar – the rosewood’s scooped midrange provides a nice separation between the bass and treble parts, fitting well with this arrangement. This song makes me feel relaxed and peaceful when I play it. Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 912ce (Rosewood/Spruce, with Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze HD Light strings) and a Line Audio CM4 small diaphragm condenser microphone. Music by Nick Borho, all rights reserved.

LIVE 181 • Dragonfly at Dawn (Improv)

Live50th Anniversary 812ce, acoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, dragonfly, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, improv, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Sinker Redwood tone, Taylor 812ce LTD

Dragonfly at Dawn is part of what has become a small group of improvisations (dubbed Dragonfly Songs) exploring related ideas and textures. This improv serves as a meditation of sorts, with a recurring set of phases floating over a drone from the lower strings. It also feels like a contemplative interlude between some of the other improvisations in the group. Hope you enjoy.

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Slack Key and Fingerstyle Guitar